Readings that Follow the Liturgy's Gospel

On Thursday; the Day of Breaking the Fast of Nineveh

Includes an exhortation to behave correctly in church and to approach communion being worthy

Inspired by the Lord's commandment in the Bible's chapter: "And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a houseofprayer,’ but you have made it a ‘denof thieves.’”       [Matthew 21:13]

After the conclusion of the wedding in Cana of Galilee, our Lord – glory be to Him, went back to Capernaum, along with His mother, brothers and disciples. He went up to Jerusalem when it was almost time for the Jewish Passover. In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts … he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.To those who sold doves He said, “And He said to those who sold doves,“Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” [John 2:16].

Our Lord – glory be to Him drove the vendors from the temple on two occasions. The first time was when He had started preaching [John 2:11-17], and the second preceded His sufferings [Matthew 21:12]. By His anger and removal of what was an insult to the name of God and what had harmed His name in His house, He thus fulfilled what had been written in the Psalms: "Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” [Psalm 69:9].

All that our Lord had done, or said, or what had been written about Him – it was all for the sake of teaching us, for He Himself had said: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” [Matthew 11:29].

What is God teaching us in this chapter? He is teaching us to respect His house - the church. We should respect it, as well as honour and submit to it. We should go there to fulfill the duties of worship with respect, politeness, and submission. It was written in the Ecclesiastes: "Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.” [Ecclesiastes 5:1].

The Lord Himself calls the church the house of prayer [Matthew 21:12]. Did we learn that our presence in church is for the sake of prayers only – not just to sit there, have fun, chat, criticize some and praise some, then laugh and make fun of others? If we learned and realized that, then why do we not stand in the church with respect, repenting over our sins, and being grateful for God's acceptance of our repentance. Why do some of us choose to chat while standing in front of God's altar and laugh for whatever reason!

Man, behold and meditate on who's side you are standing and with whom are you going to pray and praise God. You are standing by the Lordly sacred provisions. You are about to pray and praise God with the Cherubim, the Seraphim, and other angels and angels' leaders. If you think about who you are standing, praying and praising along with, this should keep you alert and lead you to understand; in this way, you will dedicate your mind completely to the heavens during the time of prayers and the Liturgy – while bowing your head before your Creator.

If you however insist on not standing in church during mass and prayer times in fear, while wasting the worshipping time in laughing at others and criticizing them, insulting others or praising them, you are then being disrespectful to the house of God. God will undoubtedly deal with you in an angry manner and with quick retribution. On the great Day of Judgment, you shall pay for this. Do you think God overlooks your sins and wrongdoings when He speaks to you through His prophets and messengers?!!

I am alerting you to how serious this sin is and how you should not take it lightly, so listen to what I say to you. If you were to sit with a noble one, who was to talk to you about what would be beneficial to your life. If he told you about the ancient times and what happened to people then, whether good or bad. Could you have dared ignore his words and turn away to speak to his servants? If you had done that, how rude and impolite your doings would have been? You should understand then how careless and disrespectful it is to behave this way.

Moreover, I am very surprised by some people who come to the church and then leave before the end of the Liturgy. I am even more surprised that some do not go to church all year long. They do not confess or take Communion unless they are facing a calamity or are going through hard times.

Lots of people take the communion only once a year and others several times. Which group of them should be praised then, those who take it once, several times, or those who only take it when going through hard times?

I should say neither one of them merits praise. Praise goes to those who take communion with a clear conscience and a pure heart. Those who lead an innocent life without blame. Those who do not envy or are jealous of others.Those who follow the path of peace.Such people may, in each Lordly feast and every age, partake in the Holy Eucharist – others do not deserve to take the communion, not even once – unless they correct their ways.

If you eat at a spiritual table and deserve a royal dinner, do you then have the right to allow yourself to commit acts that are suited for a despicable person or a villain? How could you cover your body with perfumes that smell great then go and smear it with rotten and filthy things?

Every single year you take the communion and purify yourself, but before long you return back to your previous evil and bad habits. Tell me, if you had a chronic disease and got cured, then you neglected yourself and let the sickness return, would you not have then wasted all your efforts for nothing? If you had found that something stunk in your mouth and there was a bad smell because of a certain disease, you would not have eaten even the foods you were used to consuming, how dare you then take the Holy Communion while your soul is drenched with the rot and filth from sin? What mercy would you then deserve? You do not deserve mercy, for Paul the Apostle says: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinksthiscup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and bloodof the Lord.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy mannereats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’sbody.” (1 Cor 11:27-29)

We should then dear beloved go to God's house regularly with all due respect, fear and piety, while abiding by all the commandments, as long as we still have time on earth. Therefore, it is through our actions that we should be seeking how to rise up to the expectations of God All Mighty, so that we may be eligible to hear this joyful voice saying: "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…” [Matthew 25:34]. Glory be to Him forever. Amen.